Visit Tampa Bay

Thank you to all of our partners and Visit Tampa Bay team members who participated in our Give Back by the Bay event yesterday at Feeding Tampa Bay. Our group sorted 8,600 pounds of donated goods, which equals 7,193 meals for food insecure Floridians. We also were able to collect and donate 46 pounds of food through our food drive, equating to 38 holiday meals. Together, we made a meaningful impact in our community, and we look forward to continuing this tradition of giving back and supporting those in need.

Here’s a story of community partners coming together in a pinch to help those in need. After the recent back-to-back storms, World Central Kitchen was set up in a Largo warehouse and providing at its peak over 90,000 hot meals across Florida daily to those affected by mother nature. But about 8,000 pounds of surplus, perishable food (think: meats, fruits, vegetables, etc.) was nearing the end of its usability and was about to go to waste. Through her numerous community connections, Sherri Brown, vice president of multicultural sales and development at Visit Tampa Bay, was able to connect WCK with Thomas Fernandez of Tamiami Food Rescue. Tom co-founded Last Mile Food Rescue, Inc. in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky before moving to Florida and is in the finishing stages of getting Tamiami Food Rescue in Sarasota up and running. With his resources, Tom and Tamiami Food Rescue were able to rescue the 8,000 pounds of food the same day Sherri contacted them and partner with 360 Eats and United Bikerz Jamboree to turn the food into nutritious, chef-prepared meals and continue feeding the hungry in Florida as well as storm-impacted communities in western North Carolina. Tom said he expects to have Tamiami Food Rescue fully up and running summer 2025 or possibly even sooner. Their goal will be to rescue food from food donors that would otherwise go to waste and get it to organizations that can feed the hungry before it expires. Over three million Floridians are food insecure, meaning they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Through organizations like Tamiami Food Rescue as well as 360 Eats and United Bikerz Jamboree, we can continue to chip away at that number and make sure all Floridians have safe, nutritious food each and every day. ??

Excited to see how this project turns out! Another great way to showcase Tampa Bay!

Visit Tampa Bay is proud to announce we’ve been honored with a 2024 Northstar Meetings Group?Stella?Award, winning silver for?Best CVB/DMO in the Southeast! This recognition is a testament to our commitment to showcasing Tampa Bay's vibrant culture, unique experiences, and welcoming spirit. Thank you to our dedicated team, partners, and incredible community for helping make this possible. Here’s to even more unforgettable adventures in Tampa Bay!?#VisitTampaBay #StellaAwards?#UnlockTampaBay

Yesterday, we hosted our 39th?Annual Meeting. Our sold-out event at The Motor Enclave was a huge success! Tampa Bay’s momentum is propelling us to new heights —fueling economic growth, supporting over?59,000 tourism jobs. ? Thank you to our fantastic partners who brought the thrill:?Aerial Dragons Studio,?whose performance was on fire (literally), the?Urias Family?for their Globe of Thrills performance and so many more! ? A huge shoutout to our co-presenting sponsors?The Motor Enclave?and?Puff 'n Stuff Catering and Events?for shifting this event into full gear. We could not have done it without you! ? We look forward to another incredible year for our community and will continue to inspire the world to love Tampa Bay! #unlocktampabay

What a blessing to work with such talented panels! Thank you to JoLynn Lokey, Bob Morrison, Jr. , Stanley Rubins and Davis Meyer, CDME. Each of these individuals has taken advocacy to a new level. I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience. Thank you to Jack Johnson and Destinations International for organizing an informative and entertaining Advocacy Summit!

The Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo, hosted by the National Alliance for Care at Home October 20-22, was the first post-Milton convention in Tampa Bay and went off without a hitch, demonstrating how the region is fully operational with a tourism infrastructure unaffected by the storm. Here, NACH Director of Communications Tom Threlkeld talks about the success of the convention, the positive feedback from convention-goers, and the beauty of the Tampa Convention Center and Tampa Bay. “You could not have asked for a better experience. You would never know anything happened here.” #unlocktampabay #meetingsmatter

Tampa Bay is open and ready for your next adventure! Our team hit the road, bringing the vibrant spirit of Tampa Bay to our key markets in Chicago and NYC (with Philly this weekend). From interactive experiences to capturing the laid-back vibes of our waterfront views, we're reminding everyone that our destination is open and ready to welcome visitors! #unlocktampabay

Our September Business by the Bay was through the roof thanks to all our partners who networked with us on the rooftop at Union New American with Next Level Brands Hospitality. Guests had a blast playing bingo as an icebreaker, catching up with old friends while making new ones, and winning exciting raffle prizes from Hampton Chocolate Factory, Rusty Pelican - Tampa, Toffee to Go, and the ReliaQuest Bowl. Union New American was a great host, providing delectable bites, incredible drinks, and a sushi demonstration for all to enjoy! #unlocktampabay #businessbythebay

We are constantly striving to make our destination more accessible. It's a privilege to share this resource with our industry partners and extend our knowledge. We’re grateful our President and CEO has been such a great advocate for these initiatives.